German Media: Macron's China Policy is Hardly the Mainstream in Europe
While French President Macron visited China, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung published a commentary urging the EU to speak with a unified voice on its China strategy. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung criticized that the German chancellor has shown little concern for Sino-German relations, thereby exacerbating the contradictions between the political and economic circles.
The Neue Zürcher Zeitung commented that British Prime Minister Starmer criticized the "either cold or hot" approach of previous British governments towards China during his foreign policy speech on Sunday. Starmer advocated seizing opportunities to cooperate with China in certain fields while ensuring that China does not harm national security interests. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung commented that the pragmatic approach to China by the British prime minister coincides with that of French President Macron, who is about to embark on his fourth visit to China. The commentary, titled "Macron's Pragmatic China Policy Fails to Resonate in Europe," stated:
"The pragmatic approach of Starmer towards China is not an isolated case in Europe. This week, French President Macron, who is about to make his fourth visit to Beijing, is such a European leader. For a long time, Macron has advocated a China policy that is both pragmatic and critical. On one hand, Macron hopes to discuss issues such as investment and exports of French luxury goods to China in Beijing."
European Commission Chair Absent
The Neue Zürcher Zeitung pointed out that since the interests of European countries in their relationship with China differ, it is merely a fantasy to expect Macron to represent Europe and speak with a unified voice this time.
"This time, Macron is visiting China alone, and the European Commission President von der Leyen, who accompanied him on previous visits, did not join. The specific reason remains unclear. However, it is reported that European Commission President von der Leyen was greatly dissatisfied because she was playing the role of a 'warning' figure alone, while Macron was having business talks in Beijing. Von der Leyen has always been a hardliner within the EU on China, constantly emphasizing the importance of reducing risks related to China."
It is still a distant dream for Europe to take a unified stance on China. And taking a common position in the field of trade is an urgent matter. China is very skilled in the strategy of dividing and ruling: the French delegation will be given the highest honors in Beijing, so that the French believe that improving Sino-French relations is Beijing's top priority."
China Policy: Political and Economic Circles in Germany Are at Odds
As French President Macron began his visit to China, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung published a commentary on the German government's China policy:
"Germany has had a China strategy for more than two years, and the coalition agreement of the Merz government explicitly pointed out the importance of 'de-risking,' that is, reducing dependence on China. However, there is no sign of this in China: German companies are still betting on China as usual. The so-called 'de-risking' seems to be moving away from Germany, and more and more German companies are even moving their R&D departments to China after transferring production to China. Even semi-state-owned Volkswagen has moved its global southern business headquarters from Wolfsburg to Hefei, China. As long as such contradictory phenomena exist, it indicates that the problem of mutual obstruction between the political and economic circles in Germany has not been resolved. Large companies are hindering Germany's efforts to reduce its dependence on China, and the critical stance of the German political circle towards China is also hindering large companies from expanding their business in China."
Original: toutiao.com/article/1850505667836935/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author."